Returning Home
by Max2
Summary: Sequel to Bring It All Back - Six Months after Corrin leaves things are still shakey between her and Dom. Will they be able to patch it up? Read & Review please....
1. Coming Home

**Chapter One**  
  
  
"Yo Leon! Hand me that wrench." Vince shouted above the sound of the music blaring from the CD player in the garage.  
  
"Here you go brother." Leon said, walking past Jesse and handing the wrench over.  
  
Jesse sat at the dirty workbench tapping away furiously at the keyboard. "Yo, what's the date today?" he yelled out as he checked his emails.  
  
"Aw, it's the 25th." Leon answered slowly as he tinkered with the tachometer in his hand.  
  
Immediately after he said that Brian flung himself from under the car and yelled, "SHIT!" He got off the ground and ran toward the phone on the wall, nearly knocking Dominic over in the process.  
  
"Yo Brian. Watch where you're steppin'!" he growled as he shook his head and continued walking.  
  
"Dom, is it sweet of I make an overseas call?" he asked eagerly as he fished around in his wallet for the number.  
  
Dom waved signalling him to go ahead. He dialled the rather long number and waited for an answer.  
  
"G'day. Either my cellphone ain't on or I'm screening my calls and don't wanna talk to you so leave a message and if you're lucky, I'll call back. See you!" Beep.  
  
"Charming message Corrin. Hey girl, happy birthday. Wish I could've talked to you but when you're so popular I guess it's hard to keep track of us little people. I'll call you later tiger."  
  
"Hey Brian. Who you talkin to?" Letty asked as she walked up beside Brian.  
  
"Corrin's answering machine." He said quietly. He went to say his goodbyes but was soon cut off by Letty's excitement.  
  
"HEY CORRIN!" She shouted into the phone. "HOW YOU DOIN' GIRL!"  
  
Mia came running out of the office hearing Corrin's name. "Corrin? Where's Corrin?" she asked, a smile spread across her face.  
  
Jesse and Leon came walking up. "What are you all going nuts over?" Vince asked, his eyebrows mimicking a frown.  
  
"Why are you talking to her?" Mia asked as she hooked her arm into Brians.  
  
"It's her birthday." He laughed as he backed away from everybody advancing on him.  
  
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY CORRIN!" They all screamed.  
  
"Yo, how old is she?" Leon asked.  
  
"24 I think. Yeah that's it. Well Corrin we're gonna go now but I'll call you later. Have a great day girl!" Brian said.  
  
The group all shouted their goodbyes and seeya's before Brian hung the phone up.  
  
"Man, it's been like what, six months?" Mia said as they all began to walk away from the phone.  
  
"Hope she's taking care of herself." Jesse said following them all. Like clockwork, they all looked up and saw Dom's face staring at them. Anger written all over it.  
  
"Get back to work." He growled, before turning his back on them.  
  
  
It was a Friday night and the race was on tonight. The scene had become a lot more diverse as Race Wars approached. A lot of people wanted to test their cars out on the street before the competition.  
  
Danny sat on his hood, girls on either arm, smiling and laughing at whatever they were talking about. "Yo Hector!" He shouted as Hector walked past.  
  
"Danny, my man. How you doin'?" Hector asked as they did their handshake.  
  
"Good man, good. You headin' to Race Wars this year?"  
  
"Aw yeah baby. I got me a couple of treats, you know what I'm sayin', that I plan on letting loose down in the desert. You got anything new?" Hector replied, rubbing his chin as he thought of his new Civics.  
  
Danny looked at him sideways and laughed. "I got something but yo ass is gonna have to wait till the day comes my brother."  
  
As usual the DT team pulled up in the centre of the streets. He had reclaimed his throne in a bloody battle six months back but it was all worth it. The talk on the streets before that was he was never gonna make it back. He was too far-gone to be able to take it back. Then there was that girl; she'd been the talk of the streets as well. Seen a few times firmly attached to his arm but after the accident with Mackenzie, never to be seen again.  
  
"Whassup homie!" Edwin said as he met Dom at the front of the crowd.  
  
"Whassup Edwin. Who's in tonight bro?" he replied as he looked around the crowd.  
  
"We got Hector havin' a burn , myself and little Danny Yu. How we doin' this tonight?"  
  
"I think we'll do two races, different strips. 2 grand buy in. Winner takes all. No slips!" Dom said as he barked out the terms.  
  
"You got it bro."  
  
To the end of the street an engine could be heard but it was unlike any other engine parked down that street. People looked over the cars parked in the centre and saw the two-wheeled machine revving it engine. The bike turned and sped toward the front of the crowd, stopping inches from Mia, Letty, Vince, Leon, Jesse and Brian.  
  
"This is a street race. You blind?" Dominic smirked as he approached the driver.  
  
Dressed in tight black leather pants, black leather boots and a tight black leather jacket the rider climbed off the machine and preceded to remove their gloves, helmet still on.  
  
"You deaf or somethin'? Take that crotch rocket and get the hell outta here!" Jesse said getting up in the riders face.  
  
As she peeled her helmet off she couldn't help but flash that award-winning smile. "Aw come on Jess. What kinda way is that to greet a mate?" Corrin laughed as she pulled Jesse in for a hug.  
  
He stood there stunned for a moment before hugging her back.  
  
"CORRIN!" Mia shouted as she ran up and the pair hugged.   
  
They all walked up to her, hugging her and greeting her. This is what she missed.  
  
"What the fuck are you doing here?" Brian said as he bundled her up in a hug.  
  
"Aw, I have my reasons. I'll explain later. So. I missed the race yet?" she asked, excited that she'd succeeded in the arrival she had planned.  
  
"Not yet." Letty said smiling. She looked over Corrin's shoulder and saw Dom turn away from the scene.  
  
Corrin turned and watched him walk away. "HEY!" she yelled. He stopped, turning his head only slightly over his shoulder. "Don't I get a hello?" she asked, smiling, hoping things would have been cleared.  
  
He laughed and shook his head. "Don't I get a goodbye?" he said before disappearing into the crowd. "Lets race!" he bellowed as people scrammed for their cars.  
  
Mia and Letty walked up to Corrin as she watched Dom's car disappear in a cloud of smoke. "Is he still angry with me?" she asked quietly.  
  
Letty rubbed her shoulders. "Naw girl. Not with you. With himself." They turned away and walked over to their cars.   
  
Corrin shook her head and smiled at herself pitifully. "No turnin' back now Corrin." She heard herself say as she climbed onto her Black & Blue Suzuki Katana 750 and followed the girls off to the strip. 


	2. Making an appearance.

**Chapter Two**  
  
Edwin changed gears and shouted to himself, "LETS GO!"   
  
The boys battled it out in the first of the two races for the night. Hector lagged behind as usual in his car as the other three made a mad dash for the finish.  
  
Danny and Dom yet again went head to head but Dom prevailed and took out the title. The cars came back and the money exchange was made before everybody headed for the second race on the other side of town.  
  
Corrin watched as he gave the 6 grand he had just won to Mia to hold onto. She noticed he was in a hurry to hop into his car so she ran up to him to talk with him alone. "Hey." She smiled as she walked up to him  
  
His back was facing her as he went to climb in the car but stopped. He slowly turned around and looked directly past her. "What do you want?"  
  
"I wanted to talk, to get things sorted." She replied. He stared at everything but her as he fidgeted with the solid silver band on his middle finger. "Is that ok?"  
  
"Look, not right now. I'm busy." He said before climbing into his car and speeding off.  
  
Corrin threw her hands in the air in exasperation. "Why do I bother trying?" She zipped up her jacket and climbed onto her bike, revving the engine then speeding off after him.  
  
She caught up to him, his red car beside her bike. Watching the road and his car she tapped on his window.  
  
Winding it down he hung his head out and yelled, "ARE YOU CRAZY! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?"  
  
Corrin flipped the shade on her helmet, trying to focus on her balance. "I WANT YOU TO TALK TO ME!" she yelled back. It came out a bit muffled but it was still understandable.  
  
Dom shook his head and swore under his breath. "I'VE GOT NOTHING TO SAY TO YOU!" he said before winding his window back up and hitting the NOS on his car.  
  
Corrin flipped the shade down on her bike and sped after him. There was no way she was gonna let him get away with this. She pulled her bike up next to the gangs cars and threw her helmet off, walking as fast as she could up to him. She pulled him around by his arm and stared menacingly at him. "Look, I don't know what your problem is mate, but I will not tolerate that kinda childish bullshit." She said lowering her voice so only he could hear her angry tone.  
  
He rolled his eyes and laughed. "Hey, MATE," he started, mocking her accent. "I wasn't the one to up and leave at the first argument we had."   
  
"Oh god, don't tell me you're still shitty over that! You wouldn't even speak to me! How long was I supposed to wait before you would even say a word to me?"  
  
Dom couldn't bring himself to look at her. He didn't want to see her beauty he had blocked out for six months. He didn't even want to hear her talk because her voice reminded him of the good times they had together. But that was all over. He looked down at his feet, pretending he hadn't heard. That's when she came to his aid.  
  
"Dominic? Hunny, something bothering you?" Monica asked as she slithered into his arms. He knew Corrin was watching Monica, probably jealous of her too, so he swept her up and kissed her passionately as possible. He began whispering things he wanted to do to her right then and there that were inappropriate.  
  
Corrin looked on in disbelief. She shook her head, finally getting her answer. She felt disappointed, she looked disappointed. She felt like everyone who was supposed to be watching the race was actually laughing at her being shot down by Dom and Monica. She turned around and walked further into the crowd. That was all she needed to see.  
  
Dom held Monica in his arms, feeling like a complete jerk! He looked up and watched Corrin as she pushed her way through the crowd slowly. It was the first time he'd actually taken notice of how she'd changed. Her hair had been cut, it was now just above her shoulders. Her figure was as gorgeous as any and he smiled at the thought of her and that amazing tan. 'How could I have been so stupid?'  
  
"G'day?" Adrian answered her cell phone.  
  
Corrin watched from the very edge of the crowd as people did their thing as per normal. "Hey Adrian it's me."  
  
"Cazz, where you at girl?" She asked all excited.  
  
"Uh, I'm in LA. I found them all." Corrin said, feeling more and more homesick with every word she was hearing her best friend say.  
  
"Aw mate, what's the matter hun? It doesn't sound like you guys hit it off as you did before."  
  
Corrin turned her back on the crowd as a tear escaped her eye. "Mate, I don't think it was such a great idea for me to come back over here. Not permanently anyway. Oh God Adrian! Did I just give up everything to move over here for nothing?"  
  
Adrian could hear her best friend crying on the other end, even though she could tell Corrin was trying to hide it as best as possible. "Corrin. Don't cry babe. Things will sort themselves out. He'll come around, you know he will. By the sounds of it he sounds like a bit of a jerk to be acting this way. But then again, I cant speak cos well, I don't know them. Except Brian of course. How's Brian?" she blurted out in the space of three seconds.  
  
Corrin laughed at her friends attempt at making her feel better. "He's excellent. I'll tell him you said hi. Look hun, I better go and tell these people I'm off for the night. I'll catch you later mate."  
  
"You take care hun and I'll hear from you soon. Love you." Adrian replied.  
  
"Love you too. Tell Tiana I love her too. Bye." Corrin said as she pressed the 'end call' button. She felt like she had a renewed sense on what she had intended to do from the moment she had decided she was moving over here for good. She spotted Letty, Mia, and the boys up close by the track so she wiped her eyes and walked toward them.  
  
"I can't believe he did that to her." Mia said unimpressed by the way Dom had reacted to Corrin. They had all watched the whole scene unfold without the pair noticing and none of them agreed with the way Dom had acted. Not even Vince!  
  
Brian tightened his grip around Mia's belly as he pulled her closer. "If I ever get like that, slap me."   
  
Mia raised her eyebrows and looked at him sideways. "You ever get like that and I'd suggest YOU leave the country." She gave him a playful elbow in the stomach before watching the race begin.  
  
"Hey! Has it started?" Corrin asked as she joined the group. They all turned and started being overly nice to her. She looked at them oddly and laughed. "Are you guys ok?"  
  
"We're fine!" Letty said and the rest all said the same, still acting a little shady.  
  
"You guys are queer!" She said as she turned her attention to the race. They watched the cars speed off in the usual fashion. It's hard to describe each race because they all sound so alike. You have to actually be there to witness the diversity.  
  
"Hey Corrin. You coming to the party afterwards?" Mia asked as she released herself from Brian's hold.  
  
Corrin looked uneasy. "Aw, sorry Mia. I would love to but I have to get up early tomorrow and I've got a whole heap of unpacking to do. But hey, if you wanna come over for a coffee here's my address." Corrin said as she scribbled down on a piece of paper out of her pocket.   
  
"Aw come on Corrin. Come to the party and have a few with da boys girl!" Leon said nudging her with his elbow.  
  
"I'd love to babe but I can't. Sorry."  
  
"That ain't an excuse. You're comin to the party and that's final!" Vince said picking Corrin up off the ground and carrying her toward his car.  
  
"VINCE! Put me down." She said in between laughing. "What about my bike!?"  
  
Vince turned and saw the machine standing there alone. "You comin?" he asked raising his eyebrows.  
  
"Oh yeah like my bike is gonna answer to you!" she said, trying to keep from falling off.  
  
Vince looked confused then realised he had asked the bike if it were coming. "I meant you stupid!"  
  
Corrin laughed. "If I say yes will you put me down?"  
  
He laughed and shook his head at her. "Deal." He put her down gently on the ground and watched as she brushed herself off. "You look good Corrin." He said as he leaned against his car.  
  
Corrin looked up and smiled at him. "Thanks V. How've you been lately? Scored with any hot chicks?" she said as she mimicked being a guy, arms folded across her chest.  
  
He laughed at her and rolled his shoe in the gravel. "Last week, at the party. There was this one girl, fuck she was fine! I'm hopin' she's there tonight. If she is I'm gonna make my move." He smiled thinking about her.  
  
"That's cool. I have to meet her first to see if she's up to your standards, you know." She said elbowing him in the arm.   
  
Vince covered his face and shied down in fright. "Aw no girl! You'll scare her away."  
  
They both started laughing as Corrin tried to beat Vince up.  
  
Dominic watched, his expression angry. "What's Corrin doing with Vince?" he grumbled as he walked up to the group.  
  
Mia rolled her eyes. "What does it look like Dom? They're having fun. Do you even know the meaning?" she shot him her pissed off look and crossed her arms.  
  
"You sure she ain't tryin' to get in his pants." He said back in an equal lashing of anger.  
  
She shook her head. "You know, if it weren't for you being my brother I wouldn't be standing here right now having this conversation with you. You're on the borderline of fucking male pig Dom! Corrin's right. That ego will always be outta control." She stormed off and walked over to where Vince and Corrin were.  
  
Dom stood there staring at the rest as they agreed with Mia and walked off. Why did she have such an effect on him? Why her? There was nothing special about her, just another ordinary girl. Maybe it was because she didn't purposely try to get his attention. Because she actually listened when he spoke seriously. Because she is the only person who he could pour his heart out to when he needed it. And man did he need that now. 


	3. 24 bottles of beer on the wall......

**Chapter Three**  
  
  
Corrin peeled off her jacket as she walked into the foyer of the Toretto house. She looked around her surroundings, taking in everything she could remember. 'Man, it hasn't changed' she thought to herself. Underneath her jacket she had on she wore a charcoal sleeveless top. Man did she feel out of it without her car. But that would soon be arriving. She had her Katana in the meanwhile and loved every bit of it.  
  
"HEY GIRL!" Letty called out as she dragged some fine lookin' Cuban guy behind her. "I want you to meet someone." She pulled the guy around from behind her and smiled that stupid grin people have when they've met someone they really like. "This is Jasper. Jasper this is Corrin."  
  
"Hi" Corrin said holding out her hand. "Pleased to meet you."  
  
"Yeah you too. I've heard a bit about this famous Corrin from the guys and everyone." Jasper smiled.   
  
'Good taste Letty!' Corrin thought to herself.  
  
"YO JAZ! Get over here" Leon called out waving Jasper over.  
  
"I'll catch you girls later." Before he let go of Letty's hand he pulled her in and kissed her on the lips.  
  
Letty watched him walk over to the boys before turning around and practically throwing a fit. "Oh my god! I love him." She said, a big grin plastered across her face.  
  
"Shit, where the hell did you find him?" Corrin asked as they moved from the foyer, past the boys and into the kitchen to grab a beer.  
  
"Funny story that one. About two months ago I decided to give that grocery-shopping thing another go and HELLO! I accidentally rammed my trolley into his." She sounded so excited about Jasper.  
  
Corrin laughed at how over the moon Letty was for Jasper. "Very nice Let, very nice. So," she downed half her beer then finished her sentence. "We gonna shake our asses or what?"  
  
"HELL YES!" Letty screamed as she grabbed Corrin by the hand and led her into the living room.  
  
The pair moved to the beat, both having a great sense of rhythm and beat.   
  
"Woah, check it out! That Letty's a piece of work man." Jasper said as he watched on and admired Letty dancing with Corrin.  
  
Leon smiled and threw his head to one side. "Ain't nothin' wrong with Corrin either!"  
  
Dominic looked up and watched as Joel, one of the other small time racers, walked up behind Corrin and started dancing with her. She didn't seem to mind; after all it was just one harmless dance. He grimaced as he watched, wishing it were him there and not Joel. He finished his half full bottle of beer in one gulp and grabbed another, which disappeared as fast as the previous. Before the song the girls had been dancing to had finished, Dom had drunk about seven Corona's at least!  
  
As he went to reach for the next Vince looked at him and frowned. "Dominic, don't you think you should slow down brother?"  
  
Dom looked up, hand in the case and frowned. "No!" he replied then finished his eighth.  
  
The song finished and the guys cheered for Letty and Corrin.  
  
"So hows about you and me get it on tonight?" Joel whispered in Corrin's ear as she tried to free himself from his grip around her waist.  
  
"Mmm, I'll call you." She smiled before walking off with Letty, blowing Joel off completely.  
  
"That was great." Letty cheered as she sat on Jasper's knees.  
  
Corrin stood there feeling uncomfortable. She wanted to talk to Dom but she was afraid of being shot down again. "So, Leon! How you been?"  
  
Leon looked up and smiled like a little kid. "I've been good girl, I been good. How's about you? Beat the shit outta anyone lately?"  
  
Corrin half laughed. 'Yeah, I'm thinking about beating some sense into Dom right now as a matter of fact!' "Naw, not me, I've been the perfect little angel."  
  
Dom laughed mocking her last comment. He finished his next beer then finally spoke. "Yo! Monica!" he bellowed out as the perky blond walked by.  
  
She smiled and walked up to him, sitting on his lap. "What's up honey?"  
  
Dom began kissing her neck and made sure he made eye contact with Corrin. "How about we go upstairs to my room." His deep voice whispered in her ear.  
  
Corrin felt like she had been stabbed straight in the back. She even felt the need to check her back to see if the knife was still there. She looked away; she didn't want to be a part of this. She didn't want to let him see how much he hurt her.  
  
Monica giggled as the both of them bounded up the stairs and slammed his bedroom door in anticipation.  
  
"You ok Corrin?" Vince asked.  
  
Corrin let her thoughts drift away when she laid eyes on her medication for the pain. She sat where Dom had been sitting, right beside the case of beers, had herself a couple before replying, "I'm fucking great!"  
  
  
The night progressed on as the people there became fewer and drunker.  
  
As the last person not of the group left Mia closed and locked the door. She walked over and shook her head at the bundled heap that lay sprawled across the coffee table.  
  
"V, can you help me move Corrin off the table?" she said as she cleared the couch.  
  
Vince picked Corrin up and placed her ever so gently on the couch. During the night after her thirteenth Corona she had decided on giving the remaining partygoers a little strip show. She hadn't completely gone stark naked but was about to before Brian walked into the room and carried her off to the kitchen.  
  
"What the hell do you think you were doing?" He yelled at her when they were by themselves.  
  
Corrin laughed and lightly punched him in the shoulder. "I was just dancing. Sheesh, you'd think I was giving them bozo's a free show." She laughed as her words came out slurred. She couldn't stop rocking so Brian had to hold her straight. "I'm fine Brian!" she said slapping his hands away. She stumbled off the kitchen bench and began walking back to the lounge in her boxer shorts and strapless bra but passed out before she reached the door.  
  
"I'll stay down here with her, make sure she's all good while she sleeps." Vince offered as he made himself a bed on the floor beside the couch.  
  
"Thanks V." Mia said, yawning and stretching her hands over her head. "Poor girl. I've never seen her so outta control."  
  
Brian frowned watching Corrin. He knew her past but wasn't prepared to tell the whole world. But he was afraid if there were to be many more nights like this one, he'd have to get help somewhere.  
  
Vince pulled the blanket up to Corrin's neck and watched her settle into a peaceful slumber. He smiled, feeling like a big brother than anything else then jumped into his bed and snoozed. 


	4. Coyote Ugly

~~~Just before I start for those of you who don't know, Coyote Ugly is when you get absolutely trashed and wake up next to someone so UGLY you'd rather chew your arm off to set you free than wake that person up. - Thanks~~~  
  
  
**Chapter Four**  
  
The early morning sun glared through the window and reflected off the tall mirror on his dresser. He squinted, blinded by the piercing ray as he opened his eye. 'God, how much did I drink last night?' Dom thought as his eyes adjusted to the bright light. He stretched his arms and froze in mid-stance as he touched the bare skin of someone else. Someone in his bed? He turned his head slowly as he looked to see who it was. "Oh shit!" he said to himself quietly as he saw Monica's blond hair sprawled across his pillows. He rubbed his eyes, trying to get a better picture of what had happened. He lifted the sheet and looked down to see himself exposed. He threw the cover back over him and swore beneath his breath. 'Just couldn't keep it in your pants could you Toretto?'  
  
He examined the destruction the two had caused that night. Clothes everywhere, blankets all over the place, photo's over-turned. He shook his head and sat up. As he pulled his legs off the bed he had to hold his head to keep everything from spinning. He shook it off as he pulled on a pair of boxer shorts and gently stood up from the bed, as not to wake Monica.  
  
She turned suddenly in her sleep and began to snore very loudly. He stopped as he walked toward the door and turned around. Drool hung from the side of her mouth, which hung open like a dog sleeping with its tongue hanging out. And that snoring, MATE! I'm sure China could hear that racket. He shuddered as he thought of what they had done and quickly exited the bedroom.  
  
He dragged himself downstairs, evaluating the damage as he went. 'What a party!' he walked into the living room and saw Vince huddled under a blanket on the floor. He shook his head and laughed slightly as he walked toward the kitchen to make himself a coffee. 'Oh shit!' he thought as he stopped. 'I have to get Monica out before Mia sees her.' He turned around to go back upstairs but stopped when he saw her.  
  
Her eyes were shut, not tight but gently. Her chest rose and fell as her light breathing caused a wave of her hair to rustle above her nose. She looked so peaceful, so calm. 'IDIOT!' he screamed to himself. Carefully he stepped over Vince and knelt beside her face. He gently brushed the hair away from her face and pulled the covers up to her neck. He smiled looking at her. Nobody had ever had such an effect on him as she had.  
  
Mia watched how gentle Dom was with Corrin. She cleared her throat, letting him know she was standing in the doorway of the dining room.   
  
Dom spun around quickly, like a kid who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.  
  
Mia smiled, understanding his actions. "Come talk with me Dom." She said softly as she turned in her dressing gown and walked into the dining room.  
  
He looked back down at Corrin and thought about how he could make things right, but stood and followed Mia.  
  
She placed a steaming hot cup of coffee in front of him, which he happily welcomed. She watched him savour the malt liquid as it rushed through his throat. "You felling ok?" she asked.  
  
He looked up at her and she could immediately tell he was hiding something. "I did a bad thing last night Mia, I don't think you'll like me very much."  
  
Mia put her head to one side. "It couldn't possibly have been as bad as that stunt you pulled with Monica last night at the races." She laughed a bit as she took another sip of her coffee.  
  
Dom shook his head and looked at the table. "Believe me, it is. I slept with Monica last night." He hung his head in shame as his heart ached.  
  
Mia could see he was genuinely beating himself up over it. "I'm not gonna nag you Dom. I just hoped you learned from that. Hey, don't beat yourself up over it." She said nudging his hand.  
  
"Why are you being so nice to me? Seems like everybody these days has something against me." He mumbled.  
  
Mia smiled but still felt bad. She had noticed that the gang seemed to sympathise more with Corrin than Dom. But it was the way he acted toward her that pushed them that way. "Because you're my brother and don't ever doubt that I don't love you. You take care of me and have since we were little and I will always be here for you to talk to." She looked him in the eye and continued. "You have something on your mind don't you? Tell me Dom, don't keep it to yourself."  
  
He smiled at Mia's concern for him. "You remember the day Corrin left and she stopped by the garage to say her goodbyes."  
  
Mia nodded. "Yeah and you wouldn't leave your office."  
  
The feelings of being a male pig came rushing back. "Yeah. And how I left the shop about an hour later to go to Harry's?" Mia nodded. "I went to the airport to stop her from leaving but it was too late. She got on that plane and left me there." He hung his head lower. "I've never been left before." He said quietly.  
  
"So that's why you're angry. Because you think she left you?" Mia asked, putting her arm over his shoulder.  
  
He shook his head. "I'm angry because I shouldn't have been so stubborn. I never thought she'd have the guts to leave but she did. What does that say about how she felt for me? Dammit, I saved her life!" he said slamming his fist down on the table.  
  
Mia rested her head on his shoulders as he vented his anger. "You know what I think? I think the both of you need to go somewhere where there ain't gonna be any interruptions and just talk it out."  
  
Dom looked at her and saw those big brown puppy dog eyes staring back at her. "She probably doesn't wanna know me." He grumbled.  
  
Mia laughed as she sat back in her seat. "Well, going by how drunk she was last night I don't think she'd probably remember a thing about Monica."  
  
Dom looked at her and saw that cheeky grin on her face. "What happened?" he asked curiously.  
  
Mia took a sip of her coffee and replied, "Lets just say you missed out on the best amateur strip show Leon and Vince have seen in their lives."  
  
Dom's eyes went wide in surprise. "You fucking kidding me?! Damn, I knew I shouldn't have left."  
  
Mia placed her mug on the table. "She got drunk cos she saw you go upstairs with Monica. It wasn't like you made it unobvious."  
  
Dom buried his head in his hands. "When did I become such a jerk Mia?" Before she could happily answer that question for him he covered her mouth and added, "that was a rhetorical question."  
  
Vince walked in yawning and throwing his hands in the air exposing the snail trail on his belly button. "Mornin. Where's the coffee?" he asked as he scratched his belly and walked into the kitchen.  
  
Mia rolled her eyes. "In the tin waiting for you to make it yourself." She stood up and went to walk off but placed her hand on Dom's shoulder. "Some sisterly advice. If you wanna get things back on track with Corrin, get rid of the whore upstairs." She walked off leaving Dom to his thoughts.  
  
Vince came in and began going into detail of what Corrin had been doing last night. He wished he had been there. But no! He wasn't. Just as they had finished laughing a loud THUD was heard from the lounge. They looked at each other then at the door leading to the living room. They slowly got up and peered around the door.  
  
"Ow!" Corrin said as she sat on the floor rubbing her head. She had fallen off the couch and knocked her head on the coffee table. She stood up, holding her self for a minute trying to keep balance. Man did her head hurt. She stumbled across the room toward the guys but hadn't seen them yet, as her eyes were still closed.  
  
Vince and Dom contained their laughter and ran to sit at the dining table like they hadn't seen anything.  
  
She tripped over her feet as she stumbled into the dining room. She saw the pair sitting their, Vince trying not to laugh but was obvious. "What?" she asked defensively. She was still in her underwear but was beyond caring. She carried on walking toward the kitchen and poured herself a coffee. "You got aspirin?" she asked as she sifted through the cupboards.  
  
Vince looked at Dom who looked at Vince. "In the cupboard next to the fridge." Dom yelled back.  
  
She walked back in and sat opposite the boys with a glass of water and the aspirin. She laid her head against the cool feel of the table and felt like falling asleep again.  
  
The two guys looked at each other and laughed at her.  
  
Slowly she lifted her head and looked at what she was wearing. She looked up and saw Vince giggling, Dom trying to act like he hadn't noticed. "Why am I wearing my underwear?" she asked calmly, trying to picture the events of last night.  
  
Vince burst out laughing at her, "Aw Corrin, I'm sorry babe. But you looked so innocent!" Vince continued to laugh.  
  
Corrin pulled a face then let her head drop again to her hands.  
  
"Do you remember anything girl?" Vince asked finding this all damn hilarious.   
  
Corrin shook her head not moving it from her hands. "Notta thing!"  
  
"Dominic, there you are." Monica said as she walked into the dining room and sat on his lap. She had nothing on except one of his shirts she had found in his wardrobe.  
  
'Oh fuck! Shit I forgot about you.' Dom thought as she pushed her way onto his lap. She smiled watching Corrin.  
  
Corrin lifted her head slowly as she vaguely remembered that voice. If looks could kill, you'd best be calling Corrin a murderer because the look she gave Monica, words could not describe.  
  
'Maybe she doesn't remember.' Dom continued to think as he thought of ways to explain.  
  
"Ok, I think you've rubbed it in my face enough already so I'm just gonna go now." Corrin said as she stood up from the table and walked off.  
  
"Nice underwear Casper." She said mocking Corrin.  
  
Corrin turned around and jammed her fist right before Monica's face, "The name is Corrin. Get that right!" she turned and headed for the living room. She yanked her pants on and found her top and jacket before rummaging around for the keys to her bike. She left the house slamming the door. She had had enough of his bullshit. "No more!" she heard herself say as she threw her helmet on.  
  
"Corrin, wait!" Dom called out as he ran across the front lawn.  
  
She jumped on her bike, trying to get it started before he had any time to catch up to her. But she wasn't fast enough.  
  
"We need to talk." He said holding her bike.  
  
Corrin flipped the shade on her helmet and squinted at him. "You wanna talk now? The FUCKING cheek of you Dominic. What, was Monica a lousy lay you wanna try it out again with me? Not a chance! You blew it big time busta!" She flipped the shade back down and started her bike. 'Let's see how you like being given the cold shoulder!' she thought as she skidded on the front lawn, kicking dirt with her tyres in his face. 


	5. The Arrest

**Chapter Five**  
  
Twenty metres down the road Corrin finally felt the after effects of taking off so fast, considering she was still tidily from last night.  
  
Dominic watched as she disappeared in a cloud of smoke. He was as frustrated with her as she was with him. And, the big guy didn't have much patience so he stormed back inside the house, slamming the door behind him then ran up the stairs.  
  
Mia walked out of the bathroom, her hair dripping from the shower she had just had. She walked out just in time to see Dom slam his door to his room. Knowing she was the only person deemed safe enough to approach, she walked slowly up to his door. She knocked softly but got no answer. "Dominic?" she said quietly. "Is everything ok?"  
  
The door flew open and Dom stood before her dressed and ready to go somewhere. "Can you do me a favour Mia? I need you to get rid of that trash downstairs." He said referring to Monica. "I'll be back later."  
  
"Dominic, WAIT!" she called out. She ran off after him and handed him a small piece of paper.   
  
He looked at it confused. "What's this?"  
  
Mia smiled. "Directions. To Corrin's apartment."  
  
Dom frowned but considered going to see her. "Thanks." He said as he bent down and kissed Mia on her forehead before running out the door again.  
  
He drove for hours, not intended destination. He just needed to escape from that house with Monica and reminders of what the both of them had done. The RX 7 rumbled softly as he pulled over and turned the car off. He looked up and smiled, knowing why he had come here. He got out and walked towards the gates of the cemetery. It creaked as he pushed it open. He walked the row of headstones, old people, mothers and fathers, children, babies. He walked up a little hill and resting on top, standing out from the other headstones, he saw the marble stone marking his mom and dad.  
  
His mom had died shortly after his dad had been killed. The doctors had said it was high blood pressure causing a heart attack. But Dom thought that it was her heart had broken the day their dad had died.  
  
He sat beneath a tree sheltering the headstones and welcomed the cool breeze. It was so peaceful there. He brushed off their headstones and placed a couple of flowers he had picked on the way in by the gate on his moms grave. "Hey." He said, his deep voice cracking. He brushed his knees as he sat between the graves in silence. Mia never knew it but when he was so frustrated or stressed this was where he came to do his thinking. He would never admit it to anyone. He sat there for an hour just thinking about his life.  
  
  
Corrin sped through the streets trying to figure out her way home. Ok, so her homing beacon isn't quite functioning yet. Just as she saw her apartment building ahead sirens sounded behind her. She shook her head and pulled the bike over. She peeled her gloves off and placed them on her handle's as she climbed off the machine.  
  
"Licence please ma'am." The officer asked as he walked up to her.  
  
Corrin pulled her helmet off and placed it on her seat. She fished out her international licence and smiled as he compared the photo with her face. "Look, office, I'm sorry I was speeding. I'm a bit lost you see. I just moved into a new apartment down the road and I got lost on my way back from the store." She tried to explain. Without realising it she had been swaying a bit as she spoke.  
  
The officer looked her up and down and frowned. "I wasn't pulling you over for speeding I was pulling you over for driving on the wrong side of the road. Did you realise you were doing that?"  
  
Corrin looked at the empty street and noticed she had parked her bike the opposite way the cars parked down the street were facing. "Oh. Oops, must have slipped my mind. I'm so used to driving either or, I get mixed up sometimes. Well not most of the times. Not even any time at all, it was just a one off mistake officer." She said trying to explain herself.  
  
"Step over to my vehicle for a moment." He said. She followed him and stood beside the driver's door. "I want you to state your full name into the tube."  
  
'Oh God I'm being breathalysed!' "Corrin-Lee-Mandrake."   
  
He pulled the little machine back and waited for the results. "Have you been drinking today ma'am?"  
  
"Uh, I had a glass of water when I woke up."  
  
"How about last night?"  
  
Corrin looked down at the ground. "Uh, yeah."  
  
"That's a negative result, which means you failed the test. I'm afraid you're gonna have to accompany me down to the police station for a compulsory blood test in which the results could be used against you as evidence in a court of law." The officer said as he reached for Corrin's hands.  
  
"Wait, what about my bike? You can't just leave it here. Please." She pleaded.  
  
The handcuffs snapped across her wrists causing her to wince in pain a little. "Another officer will come down and the bike will be impounded." He led her to the back seat of the police vehicle and closed the door. She watched her bike disappear behind them as she realised the severity of what was happening.  
  
"G'day. Either my cellphone ain't on or I'm screening my calls and don't wanna talk to you so leave a message and if you're lucky, I'll call back. See you!" Beep.  
  
Adrian smiled. "You ever gonna change that message Cazz!"  
  
Tiana ripped the phone out of Adrian's hand and laughed. "Hey Corrin, you know the whole point of having a cell phone is to ANSWER it. Hey mate, we've got a surprise for ya but we ain't telling so you'll just have to wait."  
  
Adrian snatched the phone back. "We both know how much you LOVE surprises darl! Well we's off now so we'll catch your sexy ass later and be good. Later!"  
  
  
"Ok, now I'm sure being a foreigner you've seen how they do it in the movies," a rather large woman officer barked as she led Corrin down the row of jail cells. She chewed her gum and popped it in Corrin's face. She stood back in disgust for a minute but waited for those three words to be said. "One phone call. That's it."  
  
Corrin smiled. "Where's the phone?" she asked trying to sound polite.  
  
The woman rolled her eyes then led down the hallway. "There." She pointed to the pay phone.  
  
Corrin tried to move her hands around from her back but they were cuffed. "Ah, a little help please."  
  
The lady reluctantly undid the handcuffs but slapped them back on her in the front. "Thanks." Corrin said dejectedly as she reached for the phone and dialled their number.  
  
"Toretto Crematorium, you kill 'em we grill 'em." Leon answered the phone as he watched Letty playing Playstation.  
  
"Leon? Oh thank God someone's home!" Corrin said smiling into the phone.  
  
"Well if it ain't the thunder from down under. How's it goin' Corrin?"  
  
"Uh, good, kinda. Look Leon I was wondering if Brian was there by any chance?" Corrin said looking to see if the lady was watching her. She was.  
  
Leon got up and looked out the window. "Naw girl, him and Mia went out this mornin'. Whassup girl?"  
  
Corrin cursed under her breath then had a brainwave. Maybe it would be better if Brian never knew about her arrest. "Uh, Leon. You think you could do me a favour hun?" 


	6. No reconciliation

**Chapter Six**  
  
"Thank you again Leon." Corrin said as the pair walked down the steps of the LAPD.  
  
Leon tapped her on the shoulder. "No problem girl. You da baddass now! Haha."  
  
Corrin climbed into the passenger side of his yellow Skyline GTR and watched helplessly as they drove away from her bike she had to leave at the station. "Not to be a pain in the ass or anything Leo, it's just, I think it'd be better if Brian didn't know about this."  
  
Leon changed gears and took a sharp corner. "What's that?"  
  
Corrin looked out the window and could still feel the effects of the beer she had consumed. "Me being done for driving under the influence."  
  
Leon smiled and looked over at Corrin. "It's sweet girl. I won't tell anyone. As long as you don't pull a stunt like last time you were here and nearly got killed for not telling anyone anything." He pulled the car over just outside her building  
  
Corrin laughed seeing the irony. "I promise. Thanks Leon." She said leaning over and giving him a kiss on the cheek before climbing out. (Just a friendly kiss). "I'll catch you later cuz."  
  
"You take care girl!" Leon said before pulling out and driving off.  
  
  
"Where's your bike?" his voice frightened her as he walked out from behind the stairs leading up to the door.  
  
Corrin stood back a bit then frowned looking at him. "What are you doing here Dom?" she asked calmly as she walked up the step to unlock the door.  
  
Dom shyly followed her realising he'd have to put up with her cold shoulder in order to say what had to be said. "I want us to sit down and talk Corrin. Get it all out in the open." He gently grabbed her arm; she turned to face him. "Please?"  
  
Corrin saw the look of desperation in his eyes. She couldn't quite figure it out why he was talking to her but soon enough she'd find out, she hoped. She nodded then proceeded to walk upstairs.  
  
Corrin opened the door to her loft and was greeted with boxes for miles and newsprint paper covering the floor. "Welcome to my humble abode." She said as she placed her keys on the kitchen counter. "Please, make yourself at home."  
  
Dominic warily walked in, closing the door behind him. Although everything was still in boxes it felt surreal of him to see the homely side of Corrin.  
  
"You wanna drink?" She asked as she looked through the fridge.  
  
Dom saw the window seat looking out over the city and sat down. "You gotta beer?"  
  
Corrin looked up and frowned at him. "You drivin'?" He nodded. "Alright then, but only one. I don't want you to get snapped as well for drunk driving."  
  
"As well as who?" he asked.  
  
Corrin cursed herself under her breath. "Uh, you know. As the proverbial other person. Here." She said handing him his beer and sitting on the other side of the window seat. "So, I think it's a miracle that we've lasted two minutes without blowing each other up. What did you wanna talk about?"  
  
Dom looked out at the view, thinking it was amazing. You could almost see everything. "Why we're angry with each other. Get it all out in the open. Cos I know its hard on the team to have to choose between us."  
  
"Wait wait, hold up a minute." Corrin said placing her glass on the windowsill. "I never asked any of them to choose between us. I'd never do that."  
  
"What? They just agreed with everything you said over me?" His voice began to slightly rise.  
  
"Do you find that hard to believe?" Corrin's voice began to rise.  
  
"Considering I've known them longer yeah I do!"  
  
"Are you listening to yourself? That is the reason why they agree with me, because you're so up yourself it's sickening!"  
  
"I'm up myself? Little miss I'm too good for all of you. I'm so perfect I just get along with anyone." He started to mock her.  
  
"I'm not gonna do this." Corrin said getting up from the seat and walking toward the kitchen. She grabbed a bottle of Bicardi and a glass and began to pour her a drink.  
  
"You think you're so strong don't you. That nothing bothers you, but I know your type. Whenever you're confronted with a problem you ignore it, thinking it will go away but it just festers and gets bigger till you cant breathe anymore!" he said following her into the kitchen.  
  
Corrin looked up from her drink amazed he knew her so well, but she still had to open her sarcastic mouth. "I'm confused. Were you just describing me or yourself cos it sounds a shit load like someone I know!" She sculled her glass and poured another.  
  
Dom watched her fill the glass, not mixing it but just having it straight. Even that would make the big man wince. He watched her scull that glass too without hesitating or wincing from the taste. "I think you should slow down on the spirits Corrin." He said calmly.  
  
Corrin shot him that look, even he would be afraid of. "Oh, can't Little Miss Perfect indulge herself once in a while? Come on Dom! What's the problem?" She poured herself another and clinked her glass against his bottle. "Cheers!" she smiled and sculled that glass.  
  
Dom shook his head at her in disgust and placed his bottle on the bench carefully. "I'm gonna go. This isn't how I wanted this to end up." He walked across to the door.  
  
Corrin watched, trying to hold back the tears that needed release. The only thing that seemed to make her cry nowadays was watching him walk away. "I suppose this is my fault?" she said quietly.  
  
He never looked back as he walked out the door.  
  
Corrin didn't want to cry. Not over a male. None of them were worth it. Feeling the anger replace her sadness as it had done so many a time, she hurled her glass at the door he had walked out.  
  
Dom turned and looked at the door as he heard glass shatter on the other side. He shook his head and continued to walk out to his car.  
  
Corrin watched, as the door remained closed. No matter how much she wished it wouldn't open. She collapsed on the ground, Bicardi bottle in her hand as the tears began to fall. 


	7. Brian Freaks!

**Chapter Seven**  
  
"So. How'd it go?" Mia asked as she walked up to Dom in the foyer. He looked up, sadness in his eyes then walked up stairs. She followed him up with Brian in tow. "Can we talk?"  
  
Dom nodded and waved her in. He looked up and saw Brian. He smiled waving him in also. "So, whadya wanna know?"  
  
"Did you try talking to her without pissing her off?" Mia asked, hooking her arm into Dom's arm for support.  
  
Dom raised an eyebrow. "Why is it always my fault?!" his voice boomed.  
  
"Well what happened?" Brian asked trying to get Dom's version of events.  
  
Dom hesitated regretting leaving Corrin like that. "We were talking and things got ugly for a minute and then she just, I don't know, she just wasn't Corrin."  
  
"How's that?" Mia asked.  
  
"Well, she grabbed this bottle of Bicardi and had about four glasses in the space of two minutes and these weren't small glasses. They were jugs. That girl can knock it back alright."  
  
Brian's eyes went wide. "You mean, she was drinking spirits?" Dom nodded. "Shit!" he said as he ran out of the room and downstairs.  
  
Dom and Mia came running down the stairs after him. "What Brian? Tell me!" Dom growled as he walked up to Brian on the phone.  
  
Brian hung up when she wouldn't pick up. "Corrin went through some shit when she was eighteen and became an alcoholic. She did the rehab thing and can handle beer, not too much of it though but she knows she ain't supposed to touch spirits."  
  
"Wait, what kind of shit did she go through?" Dom asked. So much he didn't know about this girl.  
  
Brian shook the question off. "Look, I have to go make sure she's ok. We'll talk later." Brian left the house and sped off in his Celica. He read the directions in his hand as he drove along. 'She's trying to get attention again!' he thought. He pulled up outside and ran in the building, looking for her number. When he found it he banged on the door. "CORRIN?" he shouted. BANG BANG BANG! "CORRIN OPEN THE DOOR!" He tried the door but it wouldn't open. He stepped back, planning on pushing the door down. He ran towards it as fast as he could.  
  
The door opened as he edged closer to it and he flew through the entrance. He fell on the floor and shook off the dizziness. Looking up he saw Corrin standing there in her bathrobe, a white fluffy towel wrapped around her head and a toothbrush hanging from her mouth. "You alright there?" she asked looking down at the crumpled heap that was Brian.  
  
He began to laugh at what an idiot he was. He stood up and laughed even more. By that time Corrin was laughing. She held her hands up signalling him to wait for a second. "I gotta spit," she said as she walked off.  
  
Brian continued to laugh as he looked around the loft. The big open space that was the living room, lounge and dining room, with the kitchen off to the side. (Think Rachel and Monica's apartment in Friends). She hadn't been in the country for very long he could tell. Everything was still in boxes. He looked up as she walked out of the bathroom flashing that smile.  
  
"So. You gonna tell me why you were gonna break my door down?" Corrin said as she walked across the room and over to the fruit bowl. She grabbed some grapes then sat down at the window seat.  
  
Brian smiled and shook his head. He walked into the kitchen and pulled the empty Bicardi bottle from the rubbish. It had been three quarters full before Dom left. He held it up for her to see.  
  
"Yes Brian, it's called a bottle. Holds liquid, stuff you drink." She said sarcastically and popped another grape in her mouth. She smiled which seemed to irritate Brian.  
  
He shook his head and dropped the bottle back in the bin. "You're a recovering alcoholic, you're not supposed to drink spirits Corrin! What were you thinking?"  
  
"Chill out Brian. Man, I suppose Dom told you I was drowning my sorrows, did he?"   
  
"Look, you know how bad you get and I don't want you to slip into that kinda life again Corrin. Where are you hiding the rest of the alcohol?" Brian began looking through her cupboards, scanning for any hard liquor.  
  
"Brian, what are you doing?" she asked half laughing. She walked over and began to really laugh at him. Beneath the Bicardi bottle in the rubbish bin was a Gin bottle and a Vodka bottle, all empty. He looked up at her, by now she was in hysterics laughing.  
  
"CORRIN!" he yelled. "What have you done? Why did you drink all those?" he walked up to her and gripped her arms.  
  
"Ow, Brian," she said between laughing. "Get off man." She continued to laugh at him.  
  
"Why are you laughing? You drunk Corrin?" he asked as he stepped away. He was fuming.  
  
She continued to laugh, managing to say, "I'm sorry Brian." She calmed herself down a little and sighed. "Man, you get worked up worse than a chick Brian. Anyone ever tell you that?"  
  
"Well don't come to me if you get yourself in the shit Corrin!" he said before walking towards her door.  
  
"WAIT! Brian come back." She said dragging him back inside. "I never drunk those bottles." She began laughing again.  
  
"Spoken like a true alcoholic!" He said before trying to get out of her grip.  
  
"No really. Dom was right, I had been drinking but after he left I realised it wasn't the answer so I emptied all of those bottles down the sink." Brian seemed to believe her. She laughed a little. "I was laughing because you actually thought I would drink all of that! Hell no! Not in this lifetime."  
  
Brian began to laugh a bit. "Oh shit, I feel like an idiot." He cracked up laughing as she led him back to sit down. "I'm sorry Corrin. It's just you're my little sister, my only sibling and I ain't in the mood to see you fall back into that life."  
  
Corrin nodded, smiling at him as she handed him a cup of coffee. "Thank you for caring Brian. It means a lot to me. Brian I have to tell you something."  
  
Brian put the cup down. "What's that?"  
  
"I got stung for drunk driving this morning on my way home from the party." Corrin said confidently. She knew he'd be upset but she had the right to explain herself.  
  
"YOU What?!" he said, nearly choking in the coffee.  
  
"I guess I was a little drunk when I woke up this morning but I've sorted it out. I wasn't horribly over the limit so I just have to pay a fine and there'll be no record of it on my International Licence. So I've got it sorted."  
  
Brian nodded, still frowning at her. "I hope you learned your lesson."  
  
"Hell, did I ever." She sipped her tea and looked around the destruction mess that was her apartment. "Mate, I so have to get this place organised!"  
  
"How many rooms?" Brian asked looking around.  
  
"Three. There's two over there and those stairs leading up over there go to the third just up there." Corrin said pointing to the high roofs.  
  
Brian looked up in surprise. "Holy shit, I never saw that room up there. "There were windows all along the length of the room looking down onto the living area, dining room and kitchen. **(It's an open style warehouse like apartment/loft)**  
  
"I love this place. It was exactly what I was looking for." She said looking around at the views.  
  
"Must cost a fortune, what are you gonna do with those two rooms?" he asked.  
  
"I've got a job. A night job. And the rooms I'll probably leave spare." She replied getting comfortable in her seat.  
  
Brian nodded. "What kind of NIGHT job?" he asked suspiciously.  
  
Corrin laughed. "Not that kind!" she said slapping him on his knee. "I work at a bar for this nightclub in town. It's every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and I have Saturday's off."  
  
"So what are you gonna do in the meantime? Like during the day?"  
  
Corrin shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Probably get back into my painting. I get heaps of inspiration over here so yeah; I'd like to get back into that. I was hoping that if things were good between Dom and I that maybe I could lend a hand at the garage. Become a part of the team again, that sort of thing. But it doesn't look that way."  
  
"Give him time Cazz. He'll come around." Brian stood and stretched. "Now that I know where you live I'll have to bring the team around. Give us a yell if you need any help unpacking."  
  
"You going?" Corrin asked as she walked beside him.  
  
"Yeah, better get back and let them know everything's ok. Sorry about before Corrin." He said hugging her.  
  
"Not a problem you big smelly punk! Now go, and I'll call you's later. Get ya to come round for a coffee or something."  
  
"Ok, seeya." He said as he walked out the door.  
  
She smiled, feeling a lot happier she had gotten rid of that alcohol. She turned and was greeted with the colossal mess. "Oh god!" she sighed as she decided to make a start on it. 


	8. Leon's still got it!

**Chapter Eight**  
  
"How is she? Is she ok?" Mia asked as Brian walked into the living room.  
  
He smiled and laughed a bit. "Heck yeah, she's fine!" He flopped down on the couch and watched the game that was on.  
  
Mia sat there, expecting Brian to continue. "And? What happened?" Brian smiled and continued watching the TV. "Brian!" Mia snapped as she threw a cushion at him.  
  
"Ow." He winced as he laughed at her. "You wanna play like that huh?" he said as he got off the couch, picked Mia up and hauled her up the stairs to her bedroom.  
  
"Woohoo go Brian my man!" Leon called out. Vince and Jesse were outside playing basketball. He thought about joining them but couldn't be bothered really. When he finally got the energy he put the remote on the table. Just then he felt a tickle under his butt. "What the fu-?" he said as he stood up and examined the couch. He fished around under the couch and pulled the pulsating member out. "Hello?" he said as he answered the phone.  
  
"Hello. Who's this?" the girl on the other end asked. He noticed she sounded a bit like Corrin.  
  
"Who's this?" Leon said staring confused like.  
  
"I asked first."  
  
"So, I asked second."  
  
"Are you Dom cos if you are I am so gonna kick your ass if you've hurt our Corrin." She warned.  
  
"No I ain't Dom so whattya gonna do to me?" he asked menacingly.  
  
Adrian smiled. "Well in that case, hi I'm Adrian."  
  
Leon calmed down hearing that flirtatious tone that he could hardly miss. "The name's Leon. How you doin'?"  
  
She laughed. "Not bad. Not bad at all. So, would Corrin happen to be around? No biggie if she ain't"  
  
"Well, actually she's left her cell phone here so I wouldn't know where she's at. Probably at her house." Leon leaned back in the couch getting comfortable. 'Man, this chick sounds nice.'  
  
"What a pity! So, what you been up to lately Leon? Anything exciting?"  
  
"Notta helluva lot. Just racin' an' shit. We got Race War's comin up pretty soon. Corrin gonna bring you?" his eyebrow raising in anticipation.  
  
"Uh, hun. I'm about twenty thousand million miles away from we're your sitting right now so, no I don't think so." She laughed again. He was beginning to like that laugh.  
  
He stretched himself across the couch trying to imagine what Adrian looked like. "Damn! Just my luck. Maybe sometime you'll have to come and visit her, you know." He put that sly tone on that he'd used on chicks before that always worked.  
  
"Maybe. Well it's been nice chattin' with ya Leon but this is costing me a fortune. Maybe if I'm lucky enough, you might answer her phone the next time I call."  
  
"Wouldn't mind that at all."  
  
"Catch ya later hun."  
  
"Seeya." He hung up and smiled. "Yeah, I still got it!" he said as he jumped off the couch and ran outside to join the boys.  
  
  
Dom came downstairs, as Leon had run out the door. He picked up the phone and dialled Corrin's cell phone, but seeing it vibrate on the coffee table squashed his hopes. Just as he hung the phone up it rung. "Hello?" he asked in a dry manner.  
  
"Hey Dom. Before you say anything, I just want to apologise to you for the way I behaved before and if you don't wanna talk to me, which you probably don't because hey, I've been a jerk too, I admit to that. Anyway what was I trying to say, oh yeah that's right, um if you don't wanna talk to me then I won't mind if you hang up on me right now and about the whole taking your friends away from you I'm sorry if I made you feel bad or anything. To hurt you or make you angry after everything you had done was the absolute last thing on my mind." Corrin blurted out. She had a tendency to babble when she was nervous if you already couldn't tell.  
  
Dom laughed.   
  
"Ok, I'm like hoping that was a good laugh not an evil 'I'm gonna hang up on you' laugh." Corrin said trying to thin the air.  
  
"It was a good laugh." Dom finally said. He smiled, something he hadn't done in a while. "I'm sorry too. I know I can be a jerk too."  
  
"Woohoo. We're both jerks!" she laughed.  
  
"It's funny you actually called because I had just finished trying your cell phone-"   
  
Corrin interrupted. "I've lost it, I can't remember what I did with it, dammit! I always lose that thing."  
  
"I've got it. You left it here." He said still laughing at her.  
  
Corrin laughed. "Oh, oops."  
  
"Corrin. I'd really like it if we could sit down and have a proper talk about everything." Dom said, entwining the phone cord around his fingers. He stopped as he realised that's what chicks do when they get nervous. He imagined Corrin doing the same thing.  
  
Corrin walked over to the window and looked out at the view. She still had a little unpacking to do but at least she could see the floor. "Well, I was hoping this conversation would at least get to this part. My next question was gonna be would you like to come over for dinner tonight?"  
  
Dom didn't need to think about his answer. His heart flipped as the night flashed before him. "I'd like that, a lot. What time?"  
  
"How does eight sound?" Corrin said as she leaned against the wall day dreaming about what the night would be like.  
  
"Sounds good. Do you need me to bring anything?"  
  
"Just yourself would make me happy."  
  
He smiled. This was his Corrin he had missed those whole six months. "Perfect. I'll see you then."  
  
"Bye." She cooed before hanging up. As she put the portable phone down she began jumping for joy across the room. "Woohoo!" she screamed like the dick she was and ran over to the stereo. She flipped it on blaring Outkast - The Whole World throughout the building happily cleaning her house.  
  
Dom hung the phone up. A broad grin across his face. He heard the boys playing basketball outside and ran to join him.  
  
"Yo!" he boomed as he came down the back stairs.  
  
Vince stopped dribbling the ball and looked up, along with Jesse and Leon.  
  
"Two on two." He smiled as he joined the game.  
  
"Yeah, ok Dom you're on my team cos you know I'm short." Jesse shouted as they all began to run around the driveway. 


	9. Dinner Plans

**Chapter Nine**  
  
Corrin finished stuffing the last box in one of the spare rooms and wiped her forehead as she examined the apartment. It was exactly as she had pictured it when she had first walked into the dusty, empty warehouse. She walked into the lounge and turned the lamps on beside the couches. She had a thing for bright colours. Her lime greens, oranges, maroon and purple. Her view was the more colour in a room, the happier she was. She never referred to herself as an artist. Just someone who liked to make things look pretty.  
  
She walked upstairs to her room and looked down onto the lounge as she undressed for a shower. She loved this house. There was only one thing missing right now but that would all change in an hour. She pulled her bathrobe around her and made her way to the bathroom. It was her second shower for the day but hey, she had been unpacking all day.  
  
Dom sifted through his wardrobe for an acceptable shirt to wear. He began to get frustrated because he couldn't find one.  
  
"Need a hand?" Mia asked as she looked at him from the doorway. She walked in and carefully flicked through the coat hangers. Dom pulled on a white singlet and dashed a little after-shave on. "I'm happy you're giving her another go Dom. I really think she'd be good for you." Mia said as she helped Dom put a grey short-sleeved shirt on. "I know you've been miserable without her. Even as friends you too would be great. Have fun big brother." She hugged him from behind as she walked out of his room. She was finally happy that he was happy too.  
  
Dom looked at himself in the mirror. As he did the buttons up the thought of things getting a little hot'n'heavy crossed his mind. 'No!' he told himself. "I'm going there to talk and eat." He reminded himself. 'Talk and eat. Talk and eat.' The words played over in his head. Even as he drove to her house he had say it out loud, "Talk and eat."  
  
He knocked on the door. The place from the outside looked a bit rough. He hadn't paid particular notice to the outside before now. He knocked again. The door opened and Corrin stood before him, smiling as usual. His head hand been bent so as he lifted it that amazing form came rushing back to his mind. Those small delicate feet embodied in tiny strappy sandals. His eyes travelled up those strong tan legs, over the top of her maroon knee length dress that bunched up slightly above her cleavage with small shoestring straps. Her hair was pulled into messy curls at the back with strands of curls hanging at the edges of her face. Her blue eyes, once stone with hurt, now deep pools that he could drown in forever.  
  
"Hey." She smiled as she moved out of the way for him to walk in.  
  
"Hey." He said as he stepped in. He gave her a kiss on the cheek, which startled her a bit but she smiled shyly.  
  
"You brought wine?" she asked as she took his jacket and hung it on the hook.  
  
He turned and smiled. "Not exactly. I heard Brian ranting on about you and alcohol not mixing so," he pulled it from behind his back. "I got grape juice instead." She laughed and shook her head. 'God that smile!' he thought. "It's sparkling grape juice." He offered.  
  
"Thank you." She took the bottle and walked over to the kitchen.   
  
Dom followed her slowly, looking around and taking in every inch of her place. This was his first time he'd ever been over to a girl's house before. Seriously it was. He never knew why but he'd always refuse to go to a girl's house if she offered. It seemed too personal and he'd never wanted to get personal with anyone of his skanks. Letty was different. She had practically lived at his house, with the odd exception of him visiting her place twice in their whole relationship. He ran his finger over the velvet maroon couch as he walked past it. The place looked absolutely different to the mess it was that afternoon. He couldn't believe it. He took in the little ornaments on the cabinets, the perpetual pyramid water fountain on her coffee table, the rugs on the polished wood floors, the fireplace tucked in the corner, her entertainment system hooked to her 36" TV! This girl was loaded!  
  
"I hope you're hungry." Corrin said as she pulled something out of the oven.  
  
Dom turned quickly and looked at her all domesticated. "Famished. You need any help?" He began to walk into the kitchen.  
  
"HEY! No, scoot." She said pushing him out of the kitchen.   
  
"Ok boss! Whatever you say." He sat down at the counter.  
  
"I need more time to put the arsenic in your dinner." Corrin joked. "So how was your day?"  
  
"Honestly it was pretty shitty this morning and right up until this afternoon. Then I got this phone call and for the first time in months, I smiled." They both looked up and at each other.  
  
Corrin smiled. "Do us a favour and light those candles." Corrin said, flipping him the matches. The only light in the place was the light in the kitchen and the lamps beside the couches, a red glow projected through the house.  
  
He caught them and gladly walked over to the table that had been strategically placed by the windows. Everything was where it should be, everything had a place. It was like she had lived here all her life. "You know, this place looks amazing." He walked back over and put the matches back on the bench. He sat down at the table and look out at the lights through the city. This whole entire night felt like a dream he never wanted to wake up from.  
  
Corrin walked over and placed his plate in front of him then hers in her place.  
  
"Wow. This looks great." He said admiring her cooking.  
  
Corrin smiled. "There's two things I love doing when I'm home. That is cooking and painting. I hope you like lasagne."  
  
Dom smiled. "Do I ever. Anything Italian would suit me. So, you paint?"  
  
They continued to talk over dinner, just about little things. Nothing had been mentioned yet about the fights or arguments.  
  
Corrin cleared the dishes from dessert and sat back down at the table.   
  
"Thanks, that was excellent. Man, she can cook too!" he said as he leaned back in her chair. In the background Destiny's Child - Brown Eyes played softly. Corrin listened to the words and smiled at the irony of Dom's brown eyes. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you since the moment your plane left the ground.  
  
Corrin looked up, her blue eyes curious. "What's that?" she asked, her finger circling around her wine glass, half filled with grape juice.  
  
"I was at the airport the day you left. I came to stop you but I was too late." He said as he finished his glass. He looked up and saw the sorrow in Corrin's eyes. "The reason why I was mad when you came back was because I've never had anyone leave me before. I thought I wouldn't be affected, I drove away thinking that what he had, in it's brief time, was nothing special." He reached across the table and placed his harsh, work-ridden hands over her delicate fingers. "But it was. I was so miserable without you. I never understood why I felt that way. I thought if I acted like you never mattered to me in front of you then you'd walk out of my life forever and I'd be able to get over whatever was bothering me."  
  
Corrin saw the sincerity and pent up emotion in Dom's eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, her voice just above a whisper.  
  
Dom shrugged. "Because I don't get in touch with my inner feelings bullshit." They both laughed. "Well, that's my story. Oh yeah, just to add. Monica meant nothing to me. She was just my lifejacket to hold onto while I tried to get rid of you. But I don't want that."  
  
Corrin smiled. "You wanna hear my story?" He nodded still holding her hand. "Well, I waited till the very final boarding call before they were about to close the gate for you to show. Then I realised you weren't coming. Funny though, in the back of my head I was screaming 'don't get on that plane' but I did." She laughed as she looked at her glass. "When I got home I knew the minute I arrived that I wanted to come back. So I tied up all my loose ends back home, which took about five months and the-"  
  
Dom interrupted her. "Wait, but you never turned up till just now. Where were you for a month?"  
  
Corrin smiled. "Well, I had been staying with Brian's parents without him knowing and in the meantime I was looking for a place over here and a job and all that bullshit so at least, if you were still in a shitty with me I'd have a life to go back to without having to haulass back to New Zealand."  
  
Dom nodded, finally fitting things together. "Did you want to tell me anything like you hated my guts and shit like that?" he asked, sinking into his chair a bit.  
  
Corrin laughed. "Na, I'm done hating you. I think it's just better to move on from things like that, you know." He nodded.  
  
"I'm glad you came back." He said, letting his real feelings show a bit.  
  
Destiny's Child - Dangerously In love came on and Dom noticed the light in Corrin's eyes flashed as she heard it start. He stood up and walked over to her and held his hand out. "May I have this dance?"  
  
She looked up astonished. "The great Dominic Toretto doesn't dance!"  
  
Dom screwed his face a little. "Only in the company of beautiful women." He pulled her up and the pair slow danced across the room. Corrin hung her head on his shoulders feeling the comfort she had desperately needed for the past six months.  
  
Dom held her close, afraid that if he let her go he'd lose her forever. He savoured the feel of her touch, her head on his shoulders.  
  
Corrin moved her head and stared at him, those icy blue eyes melting. She caressed his neck as she pulled him down and they shared their long lost kiss. Dom's hands moved down the length of her sides and rested in the small of her back. They stayed together, their kiss intensifying. "Corrin?" he whispered as he broke away.  
  
She looked at him and smiled. Her hand fell beside his as she led him upstairs to her bedroom. "What's the matter Dom?" she whispered in his ear as she planted small kisses on his neck.  
  
Her voice against his skin sent tingles down his spine. "Are you sure?" he asked as he hands ran up and down the length of her back.  
  
She pulled back, her eyes staring at him seductively. She kissed him ever so softly on his lips answering his question. They kissed as she slowly unbuttoned his shirt. His hand found the zip to her dress and he slid it down slowly as possible to keep this moment special.   
  
  
Their movements in the night signified their wild fires that had been burning for so long. Dom had never felt as close to any woman as he did right now. He wanted that moment to last forever. He watched in complete care as her release came. And the moment she opened her eyes he felt the connection he'd been waiting for his whole life.  
  
  
Her chest, covered by the maroon sheet, rose slightly with each breath she took. Dom watched as she slept. He'd never witnessed a more amazing thing ever before. Her hair covered her head slightly. He had been watching her for an hour now, thinking in his head. 'Everything was where it should be, everything had a place.' His words earlier ran through his head. He lay down beside her and softly kissed her shoulder. "I love you." He whispered before falling asleep with her nestled in his arms. 


	10. Getting to know each other

**Chapter Ten**  
  
"Favourite colour?" Corrin asked. She was laying on her back, beneath the blankets on her bed, a smile from ear to ear.  
  
Dom lifted himself and rested his head on one arm. He was beside her, a smile equal to hers. "Mmm. Black."  
  
The sun shone through the windows and illuminated the apartment in natural light. They were both in bed, munching on M&M's finding out everything there was to know about each other. The only way to spend a Sunday!  
  
Dom threw an M&M in the air and Corrin tried to catch it with her mouth. "Middle name?"  
  
Dom laughed and pushed her. "I ain't telling you."  
  
Corrin sat up. "Uh uh buster. We agreed, I tell you tell." She pointed her finger into his chest.  
  
Dom hesitated. "If this gets back to the guys I'm gonna strangle the shit outta ya!" he said gently wrapping his hands around her neck. "Vincent." He said really quiet so she couldn't hear.  
  
"What was that hun? I didn't quite hear. You might have to speak up." Corrin said mocking him.  
  
"Vincent!" he growled with a smile. "Next question."  
  
"Umm, favourite school subject?"  
  
"Auto shop." He replied nudging her. "Hell, even you could've guessed that."  
  
Corrin laughed as she nudged him back. "Hey man, I didn't even know that was a subject!"  
  
"Ok, ok. My turn now. Favourite food?" Dom said getting into this. Now this type of thing was not what he'd usually do but it wasn't like either of them were gonna tell anyone else.  
  
"Italian."  
  
"Favourite pass time?"  
  
"Painting and sleeping." Corrin popped another M&M into her mouth.  
  
"Favourite colour?" Dom watched her as he asked the first thing that kept coming off his mouth.  
  
"BLUE!" she shouted excitedly.   
  
"Middle name?" He asked, one eyebrow raised.  
  
Corrin grinned evilly. "I don't got one!" she lied  
  
Dom grabbed a pillow that was behind him and threw it at her. "You're lying. Now spill! I betcha its something like Bertha or Margeret or Blanche! That's it!" he said cracking up laughing. "No no. Its Marge!"  
  
Corrin slapped him playfully across the chest. "It's Lee."  
  
"Aw see, that wasn't so hard was it. Ok I got one for you. Favourite actor?" he asked.  
  
Corrin looked at him in disbelief. "Do you even have to ask? Vin Diesel mate to the hellish!"  
  
Dom laughed. "That punk! Please, he ain't nothin' compared to me." He laughed and pulled Corrin closer as the couple shared a passionate kiss. He traced her face with his finger, stroking her cheek. "Tell me the worst thing you've ever done Corrin." He said just above a whisper.  
  
Corrin looked up thinking he was joking but seeing his face she saw his seriousness. "The worst thing I've done huh?" she looked out the window for a while then looked back at him. "You really wanna know?"  
  
Dom kissed her forehead then allowed her to sit back and tell him. "Yeah, I do."  
  
"Alright then. Lets see, the worst thing I've ever done." She took a breath and continued. "I was eighteen and had just come back from America and so things were excellent for me. My friends threw a party for me and we all got drunk off our faces, except for the odd sober driver. Anyway, I was staying at my best friend, Cameron's, house and she had organised to drive my car home as she was gonna be sober driver for us. But she got trashed and by the time the party was done I was more sober than her to drive." Corrin looked up at Dom and smiled, as he knew where this story was heading.  
  
"I grabbed the keys and we both left. Nobody tried to stop me. About 10 minutes from home I swerved onto the other side of the road and into the headlights of an oncoming car. I swerved but instead of hitting the breaks I hit the gas and slammed head on into a lamp post at 80km p/h." She went silent as the accident flashed like it was just yesterday. "Cameron, she had been giggling the whole way home and when I came to I couldn't hear her. I was pinned against the steering wheel and couldn't get free. Somehow I managed to turn and look in the passengers seat. She wasn't there. At first I thought she'd escaped and ran to get help or something but then I saw the hole in the windscreen. In front of the car, behind the tree, she laid there. Not moving." Corrin found it easier to talk about the accident now than she did three years ago.   
  
"She wasn't wearing her seatbelt and had gone straight through the windscreen. She would have been fine if she hadn't landed on the concrete and knocked her head so bad. She died on instantly." Corrin looked down, ashamed of herself. "I'd never killed anyone before. After the funeral no one would speak to me and coming from a small town where everyone knew who you were, it kinda made your life a living hell. That was when I decided to move, get away from everything. I became an alcoholic, fully fledged by 19 and it stayed that way till I was 22. So you can see, I may still drink now, but not as much as I used to. I did the whole AA meetings and counselling and bullshit like that but the one thing that made me come around was Cameron." Corrin smiled as she looked at the picture of her best friend on her dresser. "That's her there. God she was beautiful." Corrin said pointing to the picture.   
  
Dom looked over and smiled. Corrin continued. "On our birthdays we had a tradition which was to go for like four hour drives anywhere we wanted to and just spend time together. For her birthday last year I did exactly that, by myself, but I still felt like she was there." Corrin saw Dom's concerned face. "I'm fine about this all, honestly. The loss of her life has convinced me to live my life not for me but for both of us. I feel it's the least I could do."  
  
Dom sat there taking it all in. "Wow, that's some pretty tough shit! And you're sure you're over it?"  
  
"Hell yeah! So tell me Dom." She snuggled onto his chest and looked up. He ran his hand through her hair and listened to her voice. "What's the worst thing you've done?"  
  
Dom laughed a little then thought. "I suppose, leaving Mia on her own when I got thrown in prison." He was quiet for a second.  
  
"You two are really close, aren't ya?" Corrin asked, her head resting just above his belly button.  
  
He smiled. "She's all the family I got. I'm her big brother. I gotta protect her, you know. Why? Weren't you close with your family?"  
  
"I'm an only child." She smiled then put on her spastic voice. "That's why I am so special."  
  
He laughed at her. "You're crazy, you know that!" he said pulling her up on top of him. He rolled them both over so he was on top and eased himself inside of her.  
  
She blinked for a moment then smiled.  
  
"Damn you're beautiful." He whispered to her.  
  
She smiled shyly. She wasn't much for fancy gifts or smooth talking. As long as they spent time doing things together, just being together, that's all she wanted. He lowered his head and kissed her. Just as Dom was about to find his rhythm there was a loud knock on her door.  
  
Dom stopped, not breaking the kiss he managed to say, "We're not here." He continued to kiss her then the door knocked again.  
  
Corrin groaned as she pulled away. "It could be important hun." Dom rolled off and rubbed his eyes. 'Take a cold shower Dom. A cold shower!' Corrin rolled to the side of the bed and wrapped the sheet around her. She yanked the maroon sheet to the side and bunched it up as she ran to see who it was downstairs.  
  
Dominic followed in his boxers. "Oo Toga girl!" he teased as Corrin stood at the door. "I'm just gonna have a shower. You can join if you like after you get rid of whoever it is." His deep voice vibrated in her ear.   
  
She pushed him toward the bathroom laughing. "Go!" she instructed pointing toward the bathroom.  
  
The door banged again. "Hold on a sec!" she yelled as she tightened the sheet. She peered through the peephole but couldn't see anyone so she opened the door.  
  
"Hey babe!" The voice called out as the door swung open. 


	11. Aw check it out, more kiwis!

**Chapter Eleven**  
  
"HOLY HECK BETH! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE?" Corrin screamed as she ran up to Adrian and hugged her.  
  
"HAHA told ya we had a surprise for ya!" Adrian said as she hugged Corrin back.  
  
"HEY! Where's my hug?" Tiana asked appearing from behind the door.  
  
Corrin's eyes began to well up. "Tiana!" She screamed in excitement. "Oh my gosh." The girls looked at her, smiles on their faces. "Come in," she yelled as she dragged them inside.  
  
"Woohoo, nice place Cazz. Since when did you grow taste?" Tiana said as she dumped her suitcase inside the door.  
  
Corrin smiled and tightened the sheet around her. "Since I left you losers back home. How the hell did you find me?"  
  
Adrian flopped down on the couch and lifted her feet on the table. "We paid a visit to ol' ma and pa O'Conner in Tucson and they gave us your address."  
  
Corrin couldn't believe her eyes. The whole past twenty-four hours seemed so surreal. "I can't believe it." She said as she sat down on the couch with them.  
  
Tiana looked Corrin up and down, her green eyes trying to focus on Corrin's choice of apparel. "Mate, what are you wearing?"  
  
The smile on Corrin's face disappeared as she remembered Dom was in the shower. "Uh, well I uh.." she mumbled.  
  
"Do you have company Corrin?" Adrian said, her attention being grabbed.  
  
Corrin's face went as red as the sheet as she tried to find the words to explain to her best friends.  
  
"Well, who is he? What's he like? Is he good in bed?" Tiana said having a seat beside Corrin.  
  
"Aw come on you guys, please. Just because my personal life is more exciting than yours will ever be doesn't mean I'm gonna offload every detail of it onto you." Corrin said standing up as the two girls hounded her. "You wanna drink?"  
  
"Corrin? Are you coming? The water's getting cold." Dom complained as he walked out of the bathroom. He had been wiping his face, water still dripping down his chest and a towel wrapped around his waist. He looked up and saw Adrian and Tiana standing there, wide-eyed.   
  
"Uh, Dom these are my mates from back home who are paying me a surprise visit. That's Tiana and that's Adrian. Girls this is Dom." Corrin said slowly, feeling his embarrassment.  
  
"Hi." Tiana said, offering him a little wave.  
  
He scratched the back of his head in a nervous action. "How's it." He mumbled quietly feeling like a fool. "I'm just gonna get changed." He told Corrin as he held his towel and walked upstairs.   
  
Corrin waited for him to close the door and the curtains.  
  
"Mate what a hunny!" Adrian said turning to Corrin. "How the hell did you score him?"  
  
"Uh guys, that's Dom, as in Dominic, as in Dominic Toretto the guy I've been arguing with for like ages." Corrin sighed as she sat down. 'Wait for it, wait for it.'  
  
"That asshole!" Tiana shouted quietly.  
  
'There it goes.' "He's not an asshole, we've sorted things out. Everything's cool between us now." Corrin smiled thinking about the amazing night they had.  
  
Adrian and Tiana looked at each other. "You mean we just flew all that way for nothing?"  
  
Corrin threw her hands up in defence, "Hey man I never told you to. But I'm glad you did." She hugged her friends then remembered Dom upstairs. "You guys make yourselves at home, you don't need me to tell you that and I'll be down in a second."  
  
Corrin ran upstairs desperately trying to keep her sheet wrapped around her. She opened the door, not a second thought crossed her mind and was greeted by Dom tying the laces on his boots. "Hey, you off?" Corrin asked as she sat beside him.  
  
"Uh yeah, you've got company and I guess I better get back to those others." He reached over and kissed her on the lips as he got up. "I'll call you later." He said as he pulled his jacket on.  
  
"Famous last words." Corrin laughed as he walked out her bedroom door.  
  
Dominic laughed and stopped in her doorway. "Hey. I just succeeded in getting you back, do you think I wouldn't call?" He flashed her that once in a while cute smile and continued walking down the stairs. "See you girls later." He smiled as he walked out the door.  
  
"HEY CORRIN! WE'RE JUST GONNA HEAD DOWN TO MC'DS. YOU WANT ANYTHING?" Adrian yelled as she pulled out her wallet from her pocket.  
  
"NA MAN I'M COOL. SEE YOU GIRLS IN A BIT!" Corrin yelled back as she scrambled around her room for something to wear today.  
  
She heard the door below close and sighed in relief. She examined her room and smiled slightly. It wasn't all that bad, could have been worse. She found herself a pair of dark blue denim jeans and a baby blue sleeveless turtleneck and ran downstairs to have her shower.  
  
By the time she was out and dressed and had begun cleaning her house the girls had come back and looked sufficiently tired. "You guys crashing with me while you're over here?" Corrin asked as she cleared the dishes from last night.  
  
"Like you needed to even ask. Where do you want our stuff?" Adrian said as she ruffled her long burgundy hair.  
  
"Uh, there's two spare bedrooms there so fight it out over who gets what." Corrin said pointing off into the direction of the rooms.  
  
Tiana nodded and walked over, pulling open one of the doors. Immediately she was greeted with a pile of boxes and wrapping paper at her feet. She looked down then up. "Corrin?"   
  
Corrin looked up from the kitchen bench. "Yeah?" She saw the boxes and laughed at the sight. "Well, maybe they could both do with a little clean out." She offered as she walked over and began clearing the boxes.  
  
  
Mia looked out the window as she heard the low rumble of his car pull up the driveway. "He's here, he's here." Mia yelped in excitement. She tapped Vince on his knee to make him stop staring out the window and they all retired to their places of comfort like they were so innocent.  
  
Dom walked in, whistling to himself. Something he never did.  
  
"Whassup bro." Leon nodded as Dom walked in the door.  
  
Dom smiled. "Not a lot brother, not a lot." He took a seat in his armchair and watched the game that was on the TV.  
  
Mia stared intently at him, trying to see if what she could read all over his face was really what he was feeling.  
  
Dom saw her staring at him but tried not to say anything. Everyone was quiet except for the TV. Only one person could cut the tension in the air.  
  
"WHAT UP IN DA HOUSE!" Letty yelled as she walked through the front door, closely followed by Jasper. "Hey, what ya'll lookin' so serious for?" she laughed as she walked into the living room.  
  
Mia slumped back in her chair and Dom let out a small snicker. Letty looked from her to him back at her. "Aw, what agonising torture you puttin' my girl through this time Dom?" Letty asked as she sat down.  
  
"Sup' boys." Jasper said as they sat down and did their handshakes.  
  
Dominic shook his head a little and laughed. "Mia's bustin' to know how last night went. But she aint gonna know cos it ain't none of her business." He said mocking her. He laughed again at Mia's pissed off face.  
  
"Why, what happened last night?" Letty asked, still looking confused.  
  
"He went to Corrin's for dinner and never came home." Mia sulked.  
  
Letty laughed. "Shit girl, that one's easy. He got laid!" she plainly stated.  
  
"OOOOhhhhhh!" All of the boys wailed when they heard that and pointed at Dom. "Man, you are the shit brother." Vince said as he slapped hands with Dom.  
  
Mia looked around at how all the guys were congratulating Dom on his triumphant win and laughed a little. Seeing how genuinely excited they were made her laugh even more.  
  
"Spare me the details bro, don't be forgettin' she's my sister." Brian said as he stopped Dom before he could relive the events of the past night.  
  
Dom laughed and finally felt at ease. "Na O'Conner. These lips are sealed." He looked over at Mia and offered her a smile. "I'm sorry Mia, but the look on your face was worth it!"  
  
Mia's small frown spread to a grin. "You're forgiven. At least you guys are playing nice."  
  
Dom smiled. "Yeah well, that's why I wanted to invite her over for dinner tonight. All of us, we'll have a barbeque or something. You in Jaz?" Dom asked as he rose from his seat and began walking toward the kitchen.  
  
"If you're twisting my arm bro I'll be there." Jasper laughed. Everyone rose from their seats, each knowing what had to be done and began to get ready for the night. 


	12. Interlude

**Chapter Twelve**  
  
"Hello?" She answered as she turned the volume down on her stereo.  
  
"Hey gorgeous how you doin?" Dom purred into the phone.   
  
Corrin smiled upon hearing his voice. "I am just fine now. What can I do you for?"  
  
"Just wondering what you had planned for dinner."  
  
"Nothing at the moment."  
  
Dom smiled. "Ok then. I better go. Catch you later."  
  
"HEY! Wait where are you going?" She asked quickly before he hung up. She was feeling just a little confused at why he had asked about dinner.  
  
His deep laugh filled her ears. "I was just kidding. Do you wanna come over for a barbeque tonight with the gang. You can even bring your little friends if you like."  
  
Corrin laughed. "They ain't little and what time do you want us around?"  
  
"Bout five."  
  
"Not a problem. See ya then." She hung the phone up and smiled to herself. It scared her a little that things were, perfect I guess at the moment. "HEY GIRLS!" She yelled out as she pulled her NY cap off and ruffled her hair.  
  
"What?" Adrian called out.  
  
Corrin walked over toward the middle of their rooms. On her way she managed to trip over one of the rugs but caught herself before falling over. She laughed slightly at herself and continued to walk over to the bedrooms. "You guys wanna have a barbe tonight?" She swung her head in and saw Adrian shoving the last of her clothes into the dresser that was there.  
  
When Corrin had taken over the apartment there had been scarce furniture left in the two bottom rooms so she just left them there for visitor purposes. There was a closet, dresser with a tall mirror, a double bed and bedside tables in each room.  
  
"Sounds good." Adrian smiled.   
  
Corrin nodded then poked her head into Tiana's rooms. She wasn't there. "Tia?" she called out. No answer. "Hey Adrian have you seen Tiana?" Corrin asked as she walked past Adrian's room.  
  
"Ah, last I saw she walked upstairs. Probably raiding your wardrobe. Not a bad idea but I'm too knackered for that. I'm gonna catch some z's. Wake me before we're ready to go." Adrian said as she flopped down on her bed.  
  
Corrin smiled and proceeded up the cast iron staircase toward her room. "Tia?" she asked quietly as she walked into her room.  
  
Tiana sat on the window seat looking out at the view of the city. She held something in her hand but Corrin couldn't quite make out what it was. Corrin walked over and sat beside her best friend. She saw the tears in Tia's eyes and a rush of concern blew over her. "What's wrong hun?" Corrin looked down and saw Cameron's picture in her hand. Corrin sighed and placed a comforting hand over Tiana's.  
  
"It's pretty out here." Tiana said smiling at the view. Corrin looked out and smiled also. But she was far more concerned with Tia. "Stop worrying Corrin. I'm not still depressed about Cam. These are happy tears I have in my eyes. I'm happy you're exactly where Cameron had wanted to be. And I'm happy that you haven't let any of what happened stop you from living."  
  
Corrin blinked, feeling the all too familiar sting in her eyes. "Don't make me start Tia. Not when I'm over the moon right now." Both her and Tiana laughed. "How have you been Tia? Something tells me you've got something on your mind. Am I right?"  
  
Tiana laughed and looked out at the city. "You know me too well Cazz. Too well." She looked down and placed the picture of Cameron back in its place. "So tell me about these people you've met." She asked, a smile on her face.  
  
Corrin shook her head and tapped Tia on the shoulder. "Na uh, you are not changing the subject on me. I wanna talk about you. Whats on your mind Tia?"  
  
Tiana laughed. "Nothing, honestly girl. Shit man, you a detective or something. IM FINE." She stressed with a smile on her face.   
  
These three girls had a tendency to call each other a bitch or a cow or speak to each other in many forms of derogatory manner but never meant any of it. They always did it as a joke, but other people listening always would think they were serious.  
  
Corrin arched her eyebrow and gave a sideward glance "Alrighty then. You better not be bullshittin' me or I'll kill ya!" Corrin warned as she laughed and pulled Tiana in for a hug.  
  
Corrin had known Tiana and Adrian since they started college together. That was eleven years ago, and not once have they not stayed in touch.   
Tiana was about 5'7", slim and muscular, she had gold hair that was naturally curly and tanned skin identical to Corrins. She had emerald eyes that reminded Corrin of emeralds that stood out against her skin.  
Adrian was the shorty of the lot but she also had a pretty muscular build. She was pale as anything and hated the fact so she faked the tan the majority of the time. Her deep burgundy hair was the first attention catcher offset by her green eyes.  
  
These girls were Corrin's sisters, they just never shared the bloodline.   
  
  
Letty pushed the trolley around the supermarket as they grabbed a few things for the barbeque. "I want a big family. Five kids would do for now." She said as she turned a corner.  
  
Jasper had been absentmindedly grabbing things off the shelf and dumping them in the trolley.  
  
"Jazz? You listening?" She asked, her eyebrow arching. She wanted to see if she could scare the poor bugger.  
  
"Huh?" he asked as he heard her last words. He looked so innocent like his mind had wandered elsewhere.  
  
Letty smiled, her head leaning to one side. "You ok?" she asked.  
  
Jasper tapped the trolley lightly and laughed. "Hell yeah, I'm fine." He smiled as he trotted off to stand behind her and push the trolley. "Why do you ask?" he whispered to her throat as he leaned in.  
  
Letty blushed. She loved the public signs of affection Jasper liked to show her. It made her feel like more of a person than someone hangin' off a guys shoulder to make him look untouchable. "You just seemed lost that's all." She twisted her head and the pair exchanged a soft kiss on the lips. He smiled, his eyes squinting, as they tended to do. "Come on, let's get this stuff and gas it from here. I've got plans for you." Letty smiled that devious smile of hers and pulled Jasper along by his jacket.  
  
As Letty clicked her seatbelt into place in Jasper's black Subaru Legacy he climbed into the drivers side. "We gettin' the movies or someone else?" he pulled the car into first gear and eased out of the parking lot.  
  
"That would be Corrin I think. I hope. Damn it's good to have her back. Now Dom isn't in such a shit all the time."  
  
"Ah, I think the lot of you need to ease up on the old man. He's a hard worker Dom is and I think the last thing he needs is you girls giving him a hard time." Jasper had become one of the guys as quickly as Corrin had joined the gang. Dom respected him for the way he treated Letty and was happy that she had found someone he could at least agree with.  
  
Letty leaned her arm against the door and rested her head in her palm. "I know that but it was like he was taking his anger at himself over Corrin out on us, you know. But anyway, he'll be fine now." She laughed a little and looked out the window. "Just have to wait for the next drama to rear its ugly head". 


	13. Sunday Afternoon

Authors Note:G'day, just a wee note before y'all start reading this chapter. I know these chapters are passing slowly but I'm trying to get Adrian and Tiana familiarised with the characters instead of throwing them straight in there. The story will pick up soon. And there's also a scene where Corrin is saying grace for dinner but she's actually speaking maori so just bare with her. Any questions, just post them in the reviews. And keep the review rolling in. You guys are awesome! Thanx!  
  
**Chapter Thirteen**  
  
"MIA. Come on already this chickens getting dry." Dom bellowed from the back yard.  
  
"Alright, alright I'm comin'." She laughed as she walked out the kitchen followed by Brian holding the plates.  
  
"Hope we ain't too early." Her thick accent sung out as she walked up the driveway.  
  
Dom looked up from underneath the drum they used as the barbeque and smiled upon seeing her. "Just in time." He growled smiling.  
  
Leon, Jesse and Vince all gathered out by the hoop as they saw Corrin had brought company with her.  
  
"Corrin? Why are they staring?" Adrian asked between her teeth as she smiled.  
  
"Guys get ova here." Corrin waved them over. "I want you to meet my very best friends this is Adrian and this is Tiana." The two girls on either side smiled and nodded. "Girls this is Leon, Vince, Jess and that's Letty and Jasper over there, Brian and Mia are, I wouldn't have a clue and you girls have of course already met Dom."  
  
Dom waved out to them and carried on playing with the fire.  
  
"Nice to see you decided to wear clothes." Adrian called out to Dom as Vince began talking with Tiana.  
  
Dom covered his face and shook his head. "Now don't tell me your mouth is as smart as Corrin's."  
  
Corrin pulled a shocked face and walked up to him, then smiled. Dom stood there with open arms as she stepped up to him and hung off his chest. He kissed her hair as she swayed back and forth. "You're gonna burn yourself if you swing any closer to that grill." He laughed as he pulled her away.  
  
Corrin sighed and stepped back, letting go of his arms. "Need any help?"  
  
He shook his head and picked up his beer. "You want?" he asked offering her his bottle.  
  
Corrin shook her head. "Na cant be bothered drinking. Remember that cos you wont hear it very often." Dom laughed. "Hey Mia? You need any help?" she called out as she walked over to Leon, Vince, Adrian and Tiana.  
  
"Uh, in a sec Corrin. Lemme just kick your brothers ass first." Mia yelled back from the kitchen. Those two were always play-fighting or something like that. All in good fun.  
  
"So, you're the one I spoke to on the phone?" Leon asked Adrian.  
  
Adrian happily obliged to taking the Corona Leon held out for her and nodded. "That would be me. I didn't actually think I'd see or meet you if I did come over. It was all just an off the cuff thing."  
  
Leon laughed, his eyes taking every spare opportunity to analyse her. "Ah right. Like I really believe you. You gonna be stayin long? See we've got this race out in the desert and I was serious when I said you should come along."  
  
Adrian thought for a moment. "When do you reckon this race is?" her eyes playing over his.  
  
Leon smiled. "Two weeks."  
  
Adrian continued to think. "I suppose I can wait that long."  
  
Corrin laughed as she watched from afar, Adrian flirt with Leon. Her eyes moved across the bunch of people outside and towards Tiana and Vince. 'I wonder how those two are going?'  
  
"You gotta man?" Vince asked quite frankly as he took a swig of his beer.  
  
Tiana nearly spat the contents in her mouth out as he said that. "Wow, that was like bold! No I don't." She half laughed which had Vince smiling coyly. "You gotta chick?" she shot back in an equal pitch of boldness.  
  
Vince shook his head. "Nope. Free agent here." He looked up into her emerald eyes and saw them smile. That also made him smile too.   
  
Tiana nodded as if agreeing with something in her head. "Interesting." She said quietly as she took another drink.  
  
"Ok folks, dinners up!" Dom bellowed as Brian helped him carry over the cooked meat from the barbeque.  
  
Dom sat at the head of the table as usual, Corrin to his right, followed by Brian, Mia and Jesse, Vince opposite Dom with Tiana beside him on his right followed by Adrian, Leon, Letty & Jasper.  
  
Corrin reached in to grab the chicken but Brian quickly snapped her hand back. "What?" she asked him as they all laughed.  
  
"Sorry but because you were the first to reach in to grab the chicken, you gotta say grace." Dom said as he placed his hands together.  
  
Corrin looked around the table for a little help but was left with nothing but giggles and smiles. "Ok then." Corrin looked at Adrian and Tiana across from her and winked. They all bowed their heads as Corrin cleared her throat to begin the prayer.  
  
"Nau mai e nga hua  
O te wao  
O te ngakina  
O te waitai  
O te waimaori  
Na tane, na rongo  
Na tangaroa, na maui  
Ko ranginui e tu iho nei  
Ko papatuanuku e takato ake nei  
Tuturu o whiti whakamaua  
Kia tina, tina,  
Haumie Huie Taiki e."  
  
Corrin looked up and smiled. "Lets eat! I'm starved." She reached for the chicken and handed it to Dom. She knew that everyone sitting at the table was staring at her but hey, they made her say grace!  
  
"What was that?" Dom asked, shocked that Corrin could speak another language.  
  
"Yeah doll, what kinda language was that?" Letty asked curious from the other side of the table.  
  
Corrin, Adrian and Tiana laughed. "That be the Maori language da peoples speak at home, eh sista!" Corrin said in her islander accent she put on and slapped Tiana a fiver across the table.  
  
"And can you speak it fluently?" Leon asked as they passed the bowls around the table.  
  
Corrin tapped her nose. "Never you mind mista. You might catch me out with the odd saying if you're lucky."  
  
Dom looked at her and shook his head in disbelief. She was as smart as she was gorgeous as she was sassy. "Are all women from New Zealand like you?" he asked.  
  
Adrian and Tiana looked up hearing that question. "Like what?" Corrin replied.  
  
"Like so outgoing and confident and shit. Because I have to say you girls are unlike any over here. Must be something in the water." He smiled and grabbed her hand.  
  
Corrin smiled. "Must be."  
  
During dinner they all participated in idle chit chat, with Adrian and Tiana included as well. Corrin felt happy that they were accepted just as she had been. Now she didn't feel like she had to baby-sit them constantly whenever she was around the guys.  
  
"What movies you got Cazz?" Jasper asked. He and a few of the others had quickly caught on to her nick-name thanks to Adrian and Tia.  
  
Corrin had to think hard about that one cos she couldn't remember. "Uh, I had to get movies?" she said quietly as if she had let them all down.  
  
"Ohhhhhhh" they all complained as they heard that.  
  
"What? Im sorry I forgot." She said as she leaned back into her chair.  
  
Dom shook his head. "You're a worry you are. Come on, we'll go choose and you all can clear up."  
  
That put the smile back on Corrin's face as she quickly jumped up from the table and ran with Dom to his car.  
  
"What a piker!" Tiana said as she threw a dinner roll at Corrin's disappearing back.  
  
Everybody laughed. "Ok, the guys can clear the dishes and the table and shit and us girls can wash up." Mia said slowly rising from the table with her full stomach.  
  
The guys complained as they all began to make a move, the girls laughed at them even more.  
  
"So how long do you girls plan on staying for?" Letty asked as Tiana picked up the basketball and began bouncing it.  
  
Adrian looked at Tiana and shrugged her shoulders. "Two weeks? Yeah two weeks I think. No extreme rush to get home." She laughed.  
  
"Man look at us." Mia stated as she looked around at the growing team. Letty looked as well but couldn't see what Mia was looking at. "Our team is actually turning into a team." She smiled then turned to Adrian and Tiana. "You girls race?"  
  
Tiana laughed. "We don't race we speed. If you can call that the same thing then hell yeah!" they all began laughing again.  
  
Mia rubbed her chin thinking to herself. "You know, race wars is coming up real soon. If we get you girls in with us as well then we could be looking at making some real hard cash. All of us."  
  
Letty turned surprised and looked at Mia, mouth gaping. "Are you scheming Mia? You feelin' ok?"  
  
Mia turned around and looked shocked. "I'm fine, why do you ask?" she asked suddenly.  
  
Letty stood back holding her hands up in defence. "Sorry kid, just asking that's all."  
  
Jesse ran out onto the porch and leaned over the railing. "Hey girls!" he called out. All four of them turned to where he was standing which made him laugh just a little. "Vince says it's time to put your chains back on in the kitchen." Now, Jesse isn't a complete fool so he knew to run after he said that.  
  
"Oh no he didn't!" Letty growled as they all began to walk inside. 


End file.
